Device for recovering precious metals



Nov. 24 1925. 1,562,777

c. c. MCBRIDE DEVICE FOR RECOVBRING PRECIOUS METALS Filed July 3, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Flquve 1 3 Charles Corliss Wbrldc INVENTOR a k/W ATTORNEY C. C. M BRIDE DEVICE FOR RECOVERING PRECIOUS IB'I'ALS Filed July 3. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 is Z1./ UUUUU Figure 2..

Chmxes Corliss W Bride.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. 24, 1925. 1,562,777

' C. C. M BRIDE DEVICE FOR RECOVERING PRECIQUSMETALS Filed July 5. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Charles Covliss NBpide.

INVENTOR v ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

lJITED oi-mntee cor-tries interim; on emcee, o-A'Lrtoiiivh'.

nnvron non Rnoovnnine rnnoious METAL-S.

Application file'dmy 3, 1923. Serial No. 649,262.

To (/77 2071!)? i2 may concorm k Be it known that 1, CHARLES CoRLIss Mc- Buinn, 2L citizen of the U ited States,- and resident oi Snnger,- in the county of Fresno and the State of California; have invented 2 new and useful Improvement inllevices for Recovering Precious details, of which the following is a specification.

lily invention relates to {L device for re covering gold,- platinum and other netnls from sand, crushed ore,- tailings and fine marterinl containing those metals.

iihe object I have accomplished is the recovery from sand crushed ore, toilgings and waste nmterial, precious metals such as gold and platinum, whether said metals are in the :i'orin' commonly known as flakes or finely divided metal, or in larger particles. A more .JlilU object is the application t on 21151 ggzunuted plate kept moist with :1. chloride solution which is energizedby 21 current of electricity for separating the precious metals from it precious metal hearing material saturated With fresh Water.

This object is accomplished by means oi the device hereinafter described and illus trated on the accompanying drawing in which Figure l is a side perspective View with pnrtscut away to show the inside portions of the device. Figure 2 isa: laterol sectional view of the device. Figure 3' and .i are u'iodilied. forms of the cylindi'u'construotion.

in said drawing I have shown a drum or cylinder ell constructed preferably coniciil, having; :an or; or shaft 5 attnchod thereto lllil piojcctiug from the ends, tor the purpose of revolving it. The rotation my be uccmnplish'od otherwise than on an axis oy any of the well known means for revolving a. cylinder. The cylinder shou n in the drawing; cons sts of a spirnl i-ibhon 6 a. screen '7 surrouni..i 5 the ribbon and attached, theretrn and :2. covorin 5% on the outside of the screen. in my e3; erinients'l used :1 canvas covering, but other n'reteriel may he used. Inthe drawing l have shownthe screxv or spiral riohon constructed so that the cyliniler' should be rotated opposite to the hands off o clock but it can he constri'ictedto run the other direction. The smaller end of the nder is slightly elevated above the level the larger end. (lpenings are provided minding the axis eech end of the cylinder, the oponir 9 at the larger end being the intake opening, and an'outlet opening 10 being at the smaller end. A trough 11 is placed directly under the outlet opening" 10 to carry away the refuse. A tank 12 contitins an electrolyte solution, preferably eh all li chloride solution, andthe cylinder arranged in relation to the tank so that the under part oi the cylinder is submerged in the chloride solution as it revolves. In Figure 2, line l6shows the approximate level of the electrolyte.

Describing certain of the parts more in detail it is noted that the spiral ribbon decreases in width as it extends from the intalo opening toivzndgthe'oiitlet opening, so that the riifies formed thereby on the lower part of the cylinderhwhen in operation; as shown in Figure 2 decreases in height regularly from intaketo d iscl iarg'e opening. Itiis also noted that theengle of the dip o'if' the cylinder is such that the to j of, the rifile at the outlet end ofthe cylin er is on a. level with a point about the riffle at the intake end of the cylinder ond slightly-above the bottom of the intake openingthe line of this level being shown as 18 The object of thisco'hstruction is to permit" the water and light nmteriirl oiirried thereby to return over the top ofthe riiiles forined bytlie sniroil ribbon toward the int'zikeopening. Tli-is object can be accomplished by narrowing the spiice between the coils of the spiral ri'b'hon' as it :rpprozrohe's' the outlet, thus' 1" 'ing the innitter carried"foririirdin the's The dis charge ening I0" is on e le velXvithin'o top of the rll'lle nttlie discharge end of the t inder. l have introduced a current or 4 trici'ty into the el'eotrolyte and through the cylinder; the lead 14 being positive and lead 15 being negative.

There also shown on the drawing a hopper 17 for carrying the metal bearin inn-- terin'l into the cylinder, bearings 18 endltl for carrying axis 5, and osp'out 20 at the intal t'e cipeningwhieh else servesne at second discharge opening uiid'er conditions and the purposes hereinafter ex 'ul'eined. The canvas covering permits Water to permeate it but is close etoeghz Wovenso that the solution in the tank does not freely coinmingle with thew-etein the cylinder;

It has her lie-tore been disclosed in applications filed by morn: patents," Se 'einber28, 1921', Serial No. 503,897, ainzll tsluice, end United {totes patents allowed ill) as follows: No. 1,eti7,let0, February 23, 1923, process for extracting precious metals, and No. 1,430.091, amalgamating cell, dated September 26, 1922, that when gold or platinum bearing sands or material pass over an amalgamated plate while a current of electricity is led from an anode submerged in a chloride solution to the amalgamated plate, which functions as a cathode, the precious metals will adhere to the amalgamated plate. This principle is applied in my present invention bythe metal screen performing the function of the amalgamated plate, being formed into a cathode by the negative current conveyed by line to the plate, and the amalgamated screen is further energized by passing a current of electricity through the covering of canvas which is kept saturated with the electrolyte. In operating this device the metal bearing material is mixed with water, which may be fresh, until it forms a pulp, when it is put into the cylinder through the intake open ing. As the cylinder revolves the pulp is moved toward the discharge opening by means of the spiral ribbons, and the movement keeps the pulp in a constant agitation, thus bringing much of it in direct contact with the amalgamated screen, and the precious metals will adhere to the screen. It is noted that during the travel of the pulp through the cylinder as noted the heavier particles naturally go toward the bottom and the lighter particles remain on the top, and

in this connection the tilting of the cylinderas described and the diminishing width of the ribbon from intake to discharge functions by starting a current of the fluid and light particles carried thereon from the dis charge opening toward the intake opening, where the light material and fiuid'are discharged through the second discharge open ing, being the lower portion of the intake opening 9, through spout 9.0. By this means the finely divided metals or [lake metals are not floated away but can be recovered and worked over. It is here noted that an amal gamated plate without the energizing e'iiect of a chloride solution and an electric current will function to a lesser degree in collecting particles of gold and platinum, and my device can be used with a lesser degree of eilicieney without the chloride solution and the electric current, andv the canvas cover can be substituted by a metallic one, and the amalgamated screen can be substituted by an amalgamated plate.

The arrow 21 shows the direction of the rotation of the cylinder shown in Figure 1. In Figures and l I have shown modified iormsof cylinders. In Figure 3, 37 is a coil of amalgan'iated wire surrounding a spiral ribbon, the coil being a substitute for the screen, and in Figure l I have shown strips no of mnalgan'mted metal wrapped as a coil.

In each of these forms the wire or strips are spaced apart. The shell 27 is adapted to hold the canvas against the cylinder.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and ask for Letters Patent:

1. In a device for the recovery of precious metals, the combination of a rotatable porous cylinder lined with an amalgamated screen, said cylinder having intake and discharge openings at opposite ends, a spiral ribbon within the cylinder and adapted with the rotary movement of the cylinder to carry loose particles therein from the intake to the discharge opening, the cylinder being positioned so the axis is lower at the intake opening end, and means for submerging portions of the cylinder in an electrolyte solution.

2. In a device for the recovery of precious metals the combination of a rotatable cylinder lined with an amalgamated screen, said cylinder having intake and discharge openings at opposite ends, a spiral ribbon within the cylinder and adapted with the rotary movement of the cylinder to carry loose particles therein from the intake to the discharge opening, the said ribbon decreasing in width from the intake opening toward the discharge opening, the cylinder being positioned with the axis sufliciently lower at intake end of the cylinder so that a line across the top of the ribbon pa -allel with the axis and directly under it would tilt toward the intake opening, substantially as described.

3. In a device for the recovery of precious metals the combination of a rotatable cylinder constructed of an amalgamated. screen and having a canvas outside covering, inlet and discharge openings at opposite ends of the cylinder, and a spiral. ribbon within adjacent to the inside periphery of the amalgamated screen, the spiral ribbon being adapted in combination with the rotary movement of the cylinder to move loose particles therein. toward the discharge opening of the cylinder, and means for keeping the canvas covering saturated with an electrolyte fluid, substantially as described.

4. In a device for the recovery of precious metals the combination of a rotatable cylinder constructed of an amalgamated screen and having a canvas outside covering, inlet and discharge openings at opposite ends of the cylinder, and a spiral ribbon within adjacent to the inside periphery of: the amalgamated screen, the spiral ribbon being adapted in combination with the rotary movement of the cylinder to move loose particles therein towards the discharge opening of the cylinder, and means for keeping the canvas covering saturated with a chloride solution and for passing an electrical current through the solution and the amalgamated screen.

ill)

s I s In a device for the recovery of precious metals the combination of a rotatable cylinder constructed of an amalgamated screen and having a canvas outside covering,

- inlet and discharge openings at opposite ends of the cylinder, and a spiral ribbon within adjacent to the inside periphery of the amalgamated screen, the spiral ribbon being adapted in combination with the rotary Y movement of the cylinder to move loose particles therein toward the discharge opening of the cylinder, and means for keeping portions of the canvas immersed in a chloride solution, and means for passing an electrical current through the solution and the amalgamated screen.

7. In a device for the recovery of precious metals the combination of a rotatable cylinder with an amalgamated interior surface, an inlet arid an outlet opening at op posite ends, a spiral ribbon within the cyl inder adjacent to the inside periphery, and adapted to move a continuous current of pulp and electrolyte fluid towards the dis charge end as the cylinder is rotated, and means for passing an electrical current through the electrolyte and pulp.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotatable cylinder of amalgamated wire mesh, closed. ends in the cylinder except tor outlet and discharge openings in opposite ends thereof, a spiral ribbon within the cylinder adjacent to the periphery adapted to move loose material within the cylinder toward the discharge opening when the cylinder is being rotated, and means for keeping the under portion of the cylinder submerged in a chloride so lution.

5;). In a device for recovering metal, the combination of a rotatable cylinder of? amal gamated wire mesh, closures at each end, except for an intake opening at one end, and a discharge opening at the other end, a spiral ribbon within the cylinder adapted to move loose material toward the discharge opening as the cylinder revolves and a covering for the cylinder composed of absorbative material.

10. A device for recovering metals consisting of a rotatable cylinder the shape of the trustrum of a cone, said cylinder being amalgamated wire mesh, closures at each end of the cylinder except an inlet opening at large end and a discharge opening at the small end, a spiral ribbon within the cylinder adapted with the rotary movement of the cylinder to move loose material therein toward the discharge opening, a covering for the outside of the cylinder of absorbative material and means for keep ing said outside covering saturated with a chloride solution.

11. A device for recovering metals consisting of a rotatable cylinder the shape of the frustrum of a cone, said cylinder being amalgamated wire mesh, closures at each end of the cylinder except an inlet opening at large end and a discharge opening at the small end, a spiral ribbon within the cylinder adapted with the rotary move ment of the cylinder to move loose material therein toward the discharge opening, a covering for the outside of the cylinder of absorbative material, and means for keeping said outside covering saturated with a chloride solution, and means for passing an electrical current through the saturated covering and the amalgam cylinder.

12. In a device for recovering precious metals, the combination of a spiral ribbon covered on outside periphery with amal gamated wire placed thereon to form a cyl inder, the wire being spaced to form openings into the cylinder, closures at the ends of the cylinder except for an inlet and an outlet opening at opposite ends thereof, a covering on the outside of said cylinder constructed of substance susceptible of capillary attraction, means for ap ilying a bath of chloride solution to the covering, and means for rotating the cylinder.

'13. In a device for recovering precious metals, the combination of a rotatable cyl inder constructed of amalgamated metal having interstices therethrough, closures at each end except for an inlet opening at one end, a discharge opening at the other end, a spiral ribbon within the cylinder adapted to move loose material within the cylinder toward the discharge end of the cylinder when the cylinder rotates, an absorbent covering for the cylinder and means for keeping the covering saturated with an electrolyte.

CHARLES CORLISS McBRIDE. 

